Phones down at national 911 group

The strangest phone recordings we've heard today came from NENA, the National Emergency Number Association, while we were reporting a story.

"Our phones are broken. Please visit nena.org. Goodbye," a message stated at 12:15 for a group that bills itself as "The Voice of 9-1-1."

We called again, and got a slightly longer recording:

"Our phones are broken. Please visit nena.org or stay on the line to leave a message. Goodbye."

Recently it's been better. Sort of.

"I don't know if you can hear me, but all I can hear is a dial tone," a staffer said at 3:30.

The organization, it should be noted, has been helpful through e-mail and cellphones. Reached on the latter, Brian Fontes, NENA's chief executive, said the group's phones are fine. But its phone service -- through XO Communications -- is not. He said he and his colleagues have been trying to get the service up and going for two days. Fontes said he's too angry to contemplate the coincidence of a 911 group not having its phone service working.

"Right now, the humor isn't there," he said.

A representatives for XO said the company couldn't immediately comment on a specific customer.

-- Dan Morse